WITHERING TO DEATH.

Dir en Grey is in general a great band. I was very intrigued to find them listed here. Not exactly the first place I would look but a nice surprise.

I have heard other things by them and I feel that this is their best so far. They have evolved as a band very well over the years and this album showcases them well.

The first time I listened to it I was amazed! I am a big fan of the visual type bands in general and am always pumped when I learn the lyrics. The subject matter always makes me think which is why I like this music.

If you like this band you have to look into some Malice Mizer.

Dir en grey passed through many changes since when the band was formed. This studio album is the perfect combination between these changes. With a style more mature than ever, but still with a very good variation of sonority, Dir en grey once again proves that they're a unique band.

This album is the perfect blend between all their current albums. It has Kyo singing as well as his unhumane screaming. All the songs have a mix of all anger, sadness, despair, yet, it is not all hard pounding on drums and guitars.

You get to see a other side of the band, that have moved from the original visual kei, mainstream hardrocking to this uniqueness that is more surreal. I cannot wait what they release next because each album surprises me everytime.

In my opinion the most accessible but at the same time powerful and totally metal album Dir En Grey has made yet. It's vicious yet beautiful at the same time. Death Metal style vocals have been embraced even further on this record, and it creates a deeper more interesting style for the band.

Some standout tracks are 'Merciless Cult', '-Saku-', 'Garbage' and 'The Final'. Although I like every song on the disc, so there is no complaining really, I just highly reccommend this cd to anyone looking to get into Japanese metal, or just for an excellent dark, moody, and well written metal CD.

Check out the american edition coming in march!

It always breaks my heart when I hear all these fans saying they hate diru because their music and their visual Kei changed. I'm not going to lie, I'm more of a fan of their older music, but I love their new music even more, because it shows their independent and are not afraid to step outside the box. Their new music just shows how they want to test a new tatse of what is going to hapen if their music changed. sorry if that didn't make any sense. What I'm trying to say is that you know how every album or single or whatever their music changes, well maybe their next album will be even better. Besides we can't always get what we want. Dir en Grey is not losing me ever as a fan no matter how many times their going to change their music. I'm going to be their for them through the good and not so good of their times in music history. Because like Shinya said they plan on being around for a long time. Withering to Death is an album you should listen to carefully and try to understand what Dir en Grey is going through right now with their music. Ecspecially my true love, Kyo, with his lyrics of despair.

While their earlier albums were a great listen and were original in style, this band has gone downhill. If Korn, Slipknot and various other drop-D nu-metal bands are your thing, Dir en grey's releases since Six Ugly are probably right up your alley. They're about as original as System Of A Down or Mudvayne's "I.D. 50", but at least I.D. 50 has wicked basslines, something Toshiya has stopped doing.

This album is better though. Tracks 5, 9, 10, 13, and 14 are up to par with their earlier material, but the rest of the album is not worth your time.